Meet Lake Balboa Photographer: Morgan Demeter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Demeter.

Morgan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I used to work at an art house movie theater in West Hills and grew to greatly appreciate cinema and all things visual. I decided that I wanted to become a filmmaker, so I went to The Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood to study Cinematography and Production Design. I learned a lot of what would become my photography skills while attending those two majors’ classes.

Directly after graduating in 2007 I became very sick and didn’t know what was wrong with me. I lost sensation in my arm, legs, and even my tongue. I was very scared and thought only the worst. After many doctors and tests, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and I knew my life was going to change from there on. I was worried that I’d never be healthy enough to work on set and do the things I wanted to do, so I became a bit of a hermit and decided to pick up a DSLR camera as an outlet for my artistic nature. From there on out the rest was history. I just kept on practicing and trying to learn as much as I could through the internet and Flickr and just taking pictures of all my friends. Luckily, over time my illness got better as I treated it and the symptoms subsided. Then I started making films AND doing photography. It was very humbling to lose everything in an instant, then get it back and never want to waste a second of my artistic ability.

Has it been a smooth road?
As I just mentioned above, the road was pretty rocky at first. Now, it is just a fairly bumpy dirt road that I coast along on, regardless of how beaten the path may be at times. Hahah. Being a freelance artist isn’t supposed to be a walk in the park, at least that’s what I’ve been told…There are daily challenges and struggles to constantly overcome but I have a large support system that has kept me from giving up on what I love.

What’s your outlook for the industry over the next 5-10 years?
I believe that the photography industry is going to have some major technological innovation that will allow photographers to have even more leeway and control over their images even after they have already been shot. Some photographers may feel that being able to adjust focus and even adjust your F/Stop in post is bad for the art and I won’t argue with that stance, but the techy side of me is definitely intrigued and excited with all of the future possibilities.

Has there been a particular challenge that you’ve faced over the years?
My biggest challenge has always been consistency. There are lots of ebbs and flows when you are a freelance artist. One month you will be so busy you can feel very overwhelmed and the next month can be super slow and you need to find ways to use your time wisely. It can be very tricky and frustrating to navigate at times but overall I wouldn’t trade it for anything. There is something exciting about the uncertainty and constant hustle.

What would you tell someone who is just starting out?
My one piece of advice is to never stop trying to get better and never take it too seriously. Also, don’t be afraid to fail! Those tiny failures will be the building blocks for your future successes. And ask people for help who you admire! You’d be surprised to find how many people would gladly help give you advice. =)

Pricing:

• My pricing ranges from project to project and situation to situation. But I am always fair and considerate when it comes to my pricing.
• My headshot rates are consistently $250 for 1 look/retouch and $50 per look/retouch thereafter.
• My wedding photography rate starts at a base of $4,000 but depending on the kind of package the clients want, that can go up.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.morgandemeter.com
• Phone: (818) 388-5597
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @mooganphoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgandemeterphotography